After a slow start brought about by a combination of extreme caution on NASA’s part, Bigelow Aerospace’s BEAM was successfully expanded to its full dimensions on Saturday. From NASA.gov: “Pressurization of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) began at 4:34 p.m. EDT, and the eight tanks filled with air completed full pressurization of the module […]
From NASA.gov: Following extraction from Dragon, the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) was installed to the International Space Station at 5:36 a.m. EDT. At the time of installation, the space station was flying over the Southern Pacific Ocean. It will remain attached to station for two-year test period. NASA is investigating concepts for habitats that […]
On Sunday, the SpaceX CRS-8 Dragon spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station, carrying in its “trunk” the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module or BEAM. Based on a press conference held today at the 32nd Space Symposium in Colorado Springs however, BEAM may be only the beginning of Bigelow’s presence at ISS, and the future may […]
Next Friday, April 8th, SpaceX is scheduled to launch a Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station. As the company’s first commercial cargo flight to ISS since disaster struck the CRS-7 mission on June 28th, 2015, it was already due to attract a great deal of attention. But given what will be riding to […]
NASA Press Release NASA astronaut Jeff Williams is now the first American to become a three-time, long-term resident of the International Space Station. He arrived at the orbiting laboratory at 11:09 p.m. EDT Friday, with cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, where they will continue important research that […]
Later this year as part of the CRS-8 resupply flight, SpaceX will deliver the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or BEAM, to the International Space Station. BEAM, funded as part of a $17.8 million contract, will ride to orbit in the trunk of the Dragon spacecraft, and then be berthed to the Station’s Tranquility module where […]
There is a distinct difference between the rosy image of the future NASA is drawing daily with its “Journey to Mars” campaign and the hard realities it must address when facing audiences somewhat more skeptical than the twitterverse. One of those is the NASA Advisory Council, an outside committee of experts which traces its origins […]
On Tuesday, the Secure World Foundation and the Alliance for Space Development (ASD) held a luncheon panel discussion in Washington, D.C. entitled “Commercial Space Stations in LEO: Preparing for the Future.” Marcia Smith has good breakdown of the event at Spacepolicyonline. Two of the panelists were Charles Miller, President of NexGen Space LLC, and Mike Gold, […]
NASA’s Wlliam Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for human exploration and operations, along with director of advanced exploration systems Jason Crusan, views BEAM at the Bigelow facility in North Las Vegas. Image Credit: Stephanie Schierholz NASA and Bigelow Aerospace held a media event on Thursday to highlight preparations for the launch of the Bigelow Expandable Aerospace Activity […]
Two Mars related stories. First, Uwingo, the crowd-sourced Mars funding site started which is attempting to raise $10 million this year to support research grants for Mars exploration has unveiled a new campaign. According to the announcement: “Uwingu presents the first opportunity for a shout-out from the people of Earth to Mars with personal messages […]
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